Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh made a fact-finding tour and held a working session with authorities of the northern border provinces of Cao Bang and Lang Son on November 14 to expedite expressway projects and review the construction of a pilot smart border gate.
PM Chinh stressed that the Dong Dang (Lang Son) - Tra Linh (Cao Bang) and Huu Nghi - Chi Lang (Lang Son) expressway projects hold significance, not only for their connectivity with regional expressways and the North - South expressway network but also their linkage with China. They are integral to Vietnam’s goal of building 3,000km of expressways nationwide by the end of 2025 and 5,000km by 2030, driving socio-economic development across Cao Bang, Lang Son, and the entire country.
To date, site clearance for both projects is largely complete, with four tunnels already under construction.
The PM directed that these projects be expedited to meet the 2025 deadline while maintaining high standards of quality, technical standards, safety, and environmental protection. He also stressed the importance of improving local living conditions as part of this development.
He agreed to immediately proceed with the second phase of the Dong Dang - Tra Linh project in 2026 in the public-private partnership format, aiming for a fully completed four-lane road. He also urged relevant authorities to swiftly address any legal obstacles or challenges in accordance with regulations.
The Dong Dang - Tra Linh expressway project, 121km long, has a total investment of over 23 trillion VND (905.5 million USD). Meanwhile, the Huu Nghi - Chi Lang project is 60km long and costs over 11 trillion VND.
With regard to the construction of the pilot smart border gate at the Huu Nghi (Vietnam) - Youyi Guan (China) international border gate pair, Lang Son authorities proposed the establishment of additional roads for cargo transportation and sought financial support for the smart border gate project. Cao Bang authorities also sought permission to pilot a smart border gate at the Tra Linh (Vietnam) - Longbang (China) border gate pair.
Agreeing with Lang Son's proposal to expand the cargo transport road to 14 lanes, Chinh urged the provinces of Quang Ninh, Cao Bang, Lao Cai, and relevant ministries, agencies and local authorities to proactively coordinate with China to effectively follow the plan.
The Finance Ministry was tasked with arranging the necessary budget from the 2024 contingency funds to support these initiatives./.
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